Celebrated TV writer and journalist Jas Waters, also known as JasFly, passed away earlier this week at the age of 39. Now, her cause of death has been revealed as a suicide.
Representatives and friends close to Waters confirmed of her passing on Wednesday, and the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s office is now publicly disclosing the details of the writer’s sudden death.
The coroner’s office declared the cause of death as suicide by hanging, and the case is now closed.
An unforgettable individual, Waters’ profound contributions to journalism and television will live on.
A statement from her representatives at Rain Management read, “It is with extremely heavy hearts that all of us at RMG mourn the life of our client and friend, Jas Waters. Jas was a talented and gifted writer. She was an amazing person and a sweet soul who will be forever missed. Her voice is something that we greatly need at this time, and although she is no longer with us, her impact will be felt for countless years to come. Rest in peace, Jas.”
Since the news of her passing was confirmed on Twitter Wednesday by longtime friend and fellow writer Sade Sellers, social media has been flooded with tributes to the beloved powerhouse. Here are some highlights.
May she rest in peace.
Joe Budden, SZA, & More Mourn The Loss Of Writer Jas Fly
Joe Budden, SZA, and more paid tribute to Jas Waters AKA Jas Fly, hip hop journalist and TV writer who passed away this week.
Joe Budden, SZA, and more shared some beautiful messages about their late friend, Jas Waters, also known as Jas Fly, who passed away earlier this week at 39 years old. The news broke on Wednesday (June 10th) that Jas, a prominent hip hop journalist and TV writer for shows like This Is Us and Kidding, had died. Although her cause of death is still unknown, the news was devastating for those who knew and loved Jas. Many took to social media to pay their respects.
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Late Wednesday night, Joe took to Instagram to remember Jas. "Many of us are in a lot of pain tonight," he wrote on a photo of Jas, "and the person who would know the perfect thing to say to brighten our spirits has gone home..... i love you, trust you and will miss you.. Rest peacefully Queen Jas."
SZA also paid tribute to Jas on social media by retweeting one of her old tweets with a kind message. "You had a purpose before anyone had an opinion," Jas had written back in 2015. "Remember that. And when asked 'who do you think you are?' answer 'whom I was created to be.'" SZA quoted this wisdom with, "Thank you for your time here and honest perfectly put words. Rest in Love queen."
Fellow writer Issa Rae took to Twitter as well to tell a story about the first time she got an interview with Jas. "I‘ll never forget being so excited to get an interview w/ @JasFly for Necole Bitchie back when I was working on ABG," Issa recalled. "I could feel her warmth through the phone. Over the years, I got to know & appreciate her even more. She was so generous, beautiful and REAL. I’ll miss you, girl."
Hip Hop Journalist & Screenwriter Jas Waters AKA JasFly Passes Away
May she rest in power.
The celebrated TV writer, director, journalist and television personality Jas Waters, also known as JasFly, has passed away at the age of 39.
While the cause of death is still unknown at the time, close friends of Waters shared the news of her death on Wednesday. Waters was born Jasmine Waters in Illinois, and later graduated from Columbia College Chicago. At the time of the of her passing, she was living in Los Angeles where she worked on TV shows for various networks including VH-1, Comedy Central, and Showtime. Most notably, Waters has worked on This Is Us, Spiderman 1 & 2, Hardball, Save the Last Dance, MTV’s Real World, and Barbershop 1 & 2.
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Waters’ contribution to journalism was also profound, she created and ran her own entertainment blog for three years that averaged 700,000 views a day. She was one of the most recognizable women in hip hop when the blog scene was first starting. Additionally, Waters was offered her own column in VIBE Magazine in 2013.
Social media was immediately flooded with tributes to the beloved powerhouse, shocked at the devastating news. Longtime friend and fellow writer Sade Sellers confirmed the news on her own Twitter account, writing, “Absolutely devastated to confirm @JasFly‘s passing. She was such a light. Offered me advice about writing so many times— prayers to her family.”
Below are some reactions to her sudden death from colleagues and friends.
Rest in Peace JasFly.